Page 4 of A Crush in the Storm
Sheepish, he nods. “My exact words were, ‘You’re fucking selfish for abandoning a daughter as special as Sadie,’ and she burst into tears before running away from me.”
“Wow, she actually has emotions. Go figure.”
He smiles at my sarcasm. “I wrestled with whether I should tell you for a long time, but eventually decided that it would probably hurt you, and that’s the last thing I ever want to do.”
I refrain from saying, ‘You already have, by not realising how I feel about you.’
“Will you think I’m a bad person if I tell you I sometimes wish she’s dead, and that’s the reason she hasn’t contacted me?”
“I’d never think you’re a bad person.” He squeezes my hand and releases it. “Don’t you know you’re one of the good ones?”
When I remain silent, absorbing the enormity of what he revealed, he bumps me gently with his shoulder. “Should I not have told you?”
“No, it’s okay. I’d rather know.” My laugh is bitter. “Not that it changes anything. If my mother hasn’t reached out in twenty years, I doubt she will anytime soon.”
He hesitates before saying, “You could find her?”
“It’s not like I haven’t thought about it. But private investigators are expensive, and what’s the point? If she wanted contact, she knows where I am. Why waste money on a potential confrontation that will probably make me feel worse?”
“Good point.”
We fall silent again, and this time, he scuttles closer and drapes an arm across my shoulder. I lean into him, and I have no idea how long we sit like this, the waves lapping at the shore, my thoughts a jumble, but seeking solace in the heat from his body warming mine.
5
KAI
Icouldn’t do it.
I wanted to kiss Sadie senseless—and more—at midnight, but I saw the glint in her eyes before she pressed her lips to mine.
She wanted more.
And I can’t give it to her.
Instead, I acted like an idiot, telling her the truth about bumping into her mother, and sending her mood plummeting. Her reaction had been stoic, better than I expected. That’s whyI dithered over telling her for years, because I hated seeing her sad. But she’d been more resigned, and I’m not sure if that’s worse; like she expects to be disappointed by life.
“Thanks for tonight.” West hands me a beer as he joins me on the house’s front verandah. “The guests were impressed with your cocktail-making skills.”
“After the first few, I could’ve served them rocket fuel with a tiny umbrella and they wouldn’t have known the difference.” I snicker. “Not the first wedding where I’ve seen most of the guests smashed, won’t be my last.”
West chuckles. “Are you still flying out with me and Emery tomorrow?”
“Yep.”
Usually, I can’t get away fast enough from this place, but the memory of Sadie’s stoicism when I told her about her mum rankles.
As if reading my mind, West says, “How’s Sadie?”
“Good.”
“The Kai I know never uses monosyllabic answers, so two in a row means something’s up.”
“Nope.”
We laugh together and clink beers. “Seriously, mate, what’s up? I expected you to be holed up with a bridesmaid right now, like our reprobate of a younger brother. Instead, you’re brooding.”
“I’m thinking. There’s a difference.”
